////,? n tvrb.
By Laur nce Alma Tad< ma.
If no one ? >t r marrli i me?
And i doB'l m <? why thi v should,
r..r nurac aay - Pm nol pn tty,
And I'm i ld im v. ry good
if no ot.e i rer mai i ?? i me,
l alinn'l mlnd verj mui h;
I siiaii buy a a iulrr tl ln a cage,
An i n little rabblt-h iti hj
I ahall havi a i r?tta n n? ir a wot d,
And a p my all my own,
And a little lamb qulte clean and tame
That 1 oan takc to low n.
And when I'm gettlnfj n ally old -
,\t twi nty-elghl or nlne -
I Bhall buy a littli orphan girl,
And brtng b t up u> mlni
GURUON'fi AUNT.
Iiy w. p, tl Bl Ige, ln Th Bki I h.
When llttii Gurd >n aaki d me to .?;?? nd B foi I
,;:?:! ol thi va ati m with hla people 1 waa In
,-: . .; ai ni < lo thlnk II wa - a pli ci ol Impu ?
;:, hia part. i upp < I ttle Gurd. n mual
havi Been ?? hal waa In mj i nd, foi l - ap
glz l. an I cxplalned lhai ll wa? b< aui ? he had
i much in hia Ictl ra ab >ul n
ln th Sch nl Diha ty that I
l: . thc in\ ll.i
"My 8 i'nor lan'l a ba l i ?'." urgi d little Gur?
di n ii: -' ' ?? onl>' ,,;'
rail:- r an Inval I Vn 1 my aunt th it's hla ala
l , ;?, ... I ai rt. to .. Ci ii. Idi r< t]
rathi i rln ivay of lool And
th, ii-..,- ? ; ? lo our pla ???. and then '11 be one
or tv. i people al ?n '? all g< thcr, II
you didn'i mlnd, IJurlelgh"
--j-, u j I, w| ,,.- i gald, In rather a burat of
genen II ?. "y " ru.I and smuggle In a tln
of aardlm . , and 1*11 ai k my peoj li to lel me
c m< to you for a m ? k oi bo, Will l u trj ?"
"Like a ahot!" aald littl. Gurd n
"Mlnd." i aald, "if I'm borcd I ahall bunk ? f!
h.-nic. i know n hal ? mnti y housea i an be
when Ihey've made up ihclr mlnda."
"l thlnk youii Bnd 11 pretty llvely," Bald Gur
don.
"Whal age la your aunt?" I aald, puti ng a
blob of i.latum "ii tti.it bli . d tuft of bair
that glvea mc more worrj than anything i I ? ln
the world.
??i ih, i don'l know," aald i lurd m. "The uaual
age. < >n< tln of Bardlni ? j n aald, i th
I wai at h ? . i. ? ? gton t- r ab >ui a foi t
nlght, and then I ??'?? nl from I'addlngton dow n
to Gurdon'a plai ? My mothi i aw mi off at
Uji atatl in, ii i then of i oun ? ah. mui l i ei da
f-.Y. m< ?!.;.,. bj kiaaiiiK me and telllng me to
be a good boy. It'a um thini I? i '?:
wom< ii folk ni thi houi ? . It'a qulte anothi i thing
to b< Blobbi n -l ovi i In public. A brown fai i d
man wltb a lx ard wa gettlna Into a smoklng
compartmenl (name on bli portmanteau,
Warde), and if h< bad laughed l ahould havi
aaked him whal b< Jollj well meanl by It. Por
tunately foi him, hi didn't.
I mi nl m ll li chap lo introduce him Into thla
?tory. II. waa a dei nt-looklng fcllow, and
when (ii W< ibourne Park) l ihangcd Into thi
?moklng . - mpartmi tit. I found oul ln thc r ura
of the Journi y thal he waa golng to the ?'.ui lona'
place. il. hadn'l vcry much to aay for hlmaclf,
but I'm rathci goi i al i mversatlon, and i talkcd
neaii) all thi was down lo Taplow, and told
hini whal I thoughl of Beveral thlnga
"Burlelgh," aald little Gurdon, excitedly, when
w.- atepped out, "I'm awfully glad t.> aee you!
I'v. been afrald aometblBg mighl happi n I pn
vent you from comlng. Man lik.- you mual have
a lot of calla on bla tlme, I know, and iiuiio,
Mr Wardel Ia thal you" bidn't knoa you
were comlng by this traln."
Mr. Warde aald thal his boai had arrived
rather earlier thal waa expei :?.!
"I.. i me introduce you to my friend Burlelgh,"
?ald little Gurdon, proudly. "Never heard him
?peak on fon Ign polltlca, l a'poai '."'
Mi Warde, as be atepped up into tlo- trap,
confeaaed thal he had not been ao fortunate.
"Ah," aald littli Gurdon, fervently, "you'vi
got a tr. at iti Bti ? ? '
I was a iiiti. disappolnted on arrlvlng al the
houae to Bnd thal Gurdon'a governor, who waa
lying on a couch, did nol make quite ao much
fuaa over me aa littli Gurdon had done, and
thai he aoemed on rerj frlendly terma with Mr
Warde, Bul I had a waah and pul on aome
frcah acenl on my handkerchlef; and then the
aunl ..iiMc ln, and when Bhi pul ln an appear*
anci I forgol cverythlng eiae, Bounda an ex
travai int ttilni ti aay, l know, bul h< a ai ab
Bolutely the m ? t > h irminx girl 1 had . \. r r*en
ri ail ih. . .in ? of mi existi nce,
Bhi abook handa with Mi Warde In rathci a
n -IV...1 way, and aald, with ul looking al him,
tl hoped h< had had a pl< aaanl
/ ll ild tl ?? yoyagi would have
U n pleaaanl w bli h bro ighl him n< an r Tap
li ai i '-,' n thb hi glam ? d al < lurdon'a
fathi i. a hi m both rather
kei iil>?. and then turned lo mi.
fou are thi nan Mi iiui li igh, al your
a< l.I, an n'l > ou?"
"l know . ? ab >ul pul li< affalra," l
aald.
? i in afrald ) ? u'll Bi d ui ral h< r b< hlnd ? :
li.r. ' remarked Gurdon'a aunt. "We thlnk of
BOthing bul thi ri\. i "
"I lareeaj you'n nol loo old to i. arn "
"The rlver," aald Gurdon'a father from tic
eoui h. "la a nio.vi dangeroui pla i
"You io. an becauae it'aaoeaay t<> f.ill in.'.ir""
I aa d.
"Becauae then II la ao eaey to fall iti love,"
ar wered Gurdoo'a fathei good humoredly
"WhaB you'n iivc or aix ytais old.r, my boy,
rou'll Bnd that out. Whal do you aay, Wardel
And you, U'innio?"
??i ...iv," aald Qurdoo'i aual quickly "that arrd
better have aomethlng to eat. Aro you aute you
don't mlnd ns leavlng y<-?i for a tlme?"
BhC bl nt down OV< r OurdOB'B fathor affCCtlOB*
ately aa ahe aaked the queatloa. Her face was
floahed, ar.d, ?pon my word. Bhe looked?weU,
flrat-i lass.
?My dear little auter." aald GurdOB'a fathcr,
pattlng her cheeka, "don'l worry youraelf about
your hi Ipleaa nulaance of a brotber. Look after
tbe vlaltora."
?i am aiso golng to look after you, dear."
"Warde," aald Gurdon'a fatber, "ahe'a a moal
obatlnate young woman. Bhe will alwaya have
!-.. i i '??-. n ?.'. a v."
-I've notlced that," xald Mr. Warde, looklng
'' ?whi ;-? way ahouid I havi bul my own?" Bhe
aaked. rheerfully. "Mr. Burlelgh, take me Into
.,..;,,.; I-.,. m; Mr. Warde, you can follow
with Bob."
??With all that, ahi '. the b? il y >ung w iman In
orld."
??Thal facl alao." aai l Mr Wardi (and i
thoughl it wai rather a bli of cheek -
,. ,., -thal facl alao haa not eacaped m>
oi..- <\ al ? 11."
\t tal :? Gurdon'a auni lel me all nexl to hi r,
and l talked away a R.i deal. and llttl Gurd m
aald aft. rward thal to- i aldered I waa In very
g , ?i f, rm. I aaked little Gurdon how old h.
. hl hia aunl waa. .and it turmd oul
that Bhe waa cloae up ?" twi nt) flve. I
rather dlxappo a:- I to Bnd tl al Bh<
waa ao old. but. thlnklng it over on the
way down to th.- rlver, I uld - ? thal yeara
,.. -, n ithlng providln h< arta were rlght, and
if ahe didn'l mlnd walting untll I Icft i
why, th.ro waa no reaa >n wh) I ahouldn'l make
her an offer v. itio.it delay. Bhe was walklng
with little Gurdon down to th boathou ? ? fhav
Ing Bral madi her brotber qulte i omfortal la or,
i ketn halr looklng ? nt.. th.- lawn), and
I waa with Warde. Warde seemed the klnd of
i hap who Improvi . on acquaintance, and he had
: travcllcd a i, --1 deal, and if II hadn't been that
he was rather too attentlve to Gurdon'a aunt
, i jarc aay l could have atood hlm falrly well.
i .,. ked him whal ige lo-- thought a man oui hl
t,, :. U|i. n ln m irried, and wheth r he ti. >uj hl
., ,. nt,. n ui . ighl n waa to. young, and he
aald [hal h thoughl tl >i alx ul twice that age
wa.- nean i thc mark.
"What," i aaked, "thlrtj odd?"
??Ai- .ut that," aaid Mi U ardi calmly.
??ui I ? ul iu "' I aald. I f> lt annoyi d. "Why. :i
I man i uld fall in i ??? .,\. r and overagaln bi f >re
!?? i. a. i. I thal agi ."
"That'a th< Idea." remarki l Mr. Warde, "Bul
ai thal ig< i would I now hla own mlnd."
"Shouldn'l thlnk it would i- worth knowlng."
' i said aharply "What do you thlnk of Gurdi n'a
aunt?" He looked at me rathei Inqulaltlvely
? ' ire he replled.
??I thlnk ajfcood deal of her, youngster." he
said. "Why do you aak the queatl i i'"'
"l have mj roaa ma." I aald, with rei erve.
"gtiuek me thal j ?u wi re nol on very frlen II)
terma w ith eai h other "
ll. Fccmed amuacd at thla, and ilappi 1 mi on
thc ah uldcra in a very cheerful way, aa though
h ? waa rathi r glad t.. lo- ir it. Wh? n at the
rlvcralde near the treeB Gurdon'a aunt and little
. jurdi n i lughl ua up. it was d< < Ided that Warde
ahouid s. ull, that little Gurdon Bhould Bteer, and
that I ahojld sit nexl t-> Gurd n'a aunt.
"The hamper!" crl?d Gurdon'a aunt Buddenly.
We had all forgotten It. < ?ff little Gurdon and
I p. ii d. foun I ii. and Btartcd down to the rlver
sid< agaln. And bere comca the Importanl part
of ttiis atcry, and I uani you to i-ad more care
fully, if you don'l mlnd.
I lot little Gurdon earry the hamper iiimsdf
th.- aecond part ..f the way acroaa the flelda;
for one thing lt was very heavy, .and for another,
1 wanted to ?.-t back and Ibiten t.> her volce
(I'm nol sur.- whetber I told you what a pleae
a.it. qulet way of talklBg ahe bad. No wonder
h< i brotber llked her to be near him on his bad
daya.) I hurrted on, an.i preaently tbrougb the
tr.-.s i n the edge of th. rlver l aaw them in
th. boat walting. l cr.pt up and Ibtteni i
"The doctor aaya thal ha cannol bul much
I ?no.-r." I l.card iior ::ay.
"I tcarcely know wh< th> r to be glad or sorry.
l beg your pardon, dear. Of courae, I'm aorry.
i like him aimoat .-ui much as you do. BtlU. t
can't iidp wlahlng"?
MBul you muatn't," abe aald aarioualy.
-we could run up to towa for a faw daya whlle
yournepbew and thla other youngater are here."
??No, tto!" abe aald, wlth a good dealof earneet
neaa. ,.
-I bet you as much aa a penny, uaar giri, ae
aald, "that I elopa wlth you before you are many
days older,"
??You muat not bet," she anawercd reprovlng
iv; 'you muat not call ma "dear gtrl,' and elope
ments an- early Vlctorlan and no longer faahlon
able." I coughed. "And you really thlnk, tb< a,
Mr Waxde," abe aald ln a louder rotce, aa I
came through the treee, "that Turkey la I n I
to go? I'm afraid 1 have B6VI r piob. rly Und" r
v-t.i the Eaatern queatlon."
i kepi a very carcful wateh on hlm, aol only
on the rlver aa we weni Cookham way, but alao
whlle we had lunch the ham-and-veal ple ?? w
a p. it. (i dream; little Ourdi n and i flnlah. I It
and afterward t n the return Journey and In the
evenln ;. when she played queer little pl i
Orli g to her brother and the real of u
,,.. the lawn and ilpped Iccd Lhlnga. Ol
twlco i th iughl thit Gurdon'a fathi r wa i
-,. t) hlng carefully. and 1 madeupmy mlnd that
I would doanythlng to dtfend her from v. i .
even if It .-:.' I i lellinn Gurdon'a fath i - -
- -,: nl propoaal. Little Gurdon - a
? medi.it me, an laaked if I waan I enjoy
Ing myself. and I told hlm aharply to mlnd hla
own bualnesa He aeemed rather annoyed at
thla and wenl over t ? Warde, who explalned I ?
him with matchea how th ? El yptian tro m were
managed ln the laat alfalr. I cheered up when
Bhe cam ? "ut and Bpoke to me, aad 1 f. ii aure
Wai ie ..r anybody elae ln the world waa qulte
unworthj to touch her hand Exceptlng me, of
. ,iUI>'-'.
?Have you any brothcra or alatere, Maater
Burlelgh?"
l H l?hed ahe had . all.-d mi Bldney, but I dldn't
dare aak h< r to do bo.
"I'm the only one, atlae Gurdon."
"You don't know what it is to care for one'a
i rothi r \.iy mm h then ' it la my gn al
thal my brother la not atrong."
"StIII." I aald, "he i an'l expect you to i
hlm all his llfi. ? an h. ""
"Yea," Bhe aald almply, "he can."
ghe looked through the Prench wlndowa Into
the i" m where her brother waa.
"Uather a tli aurely, MI a Gurd m." I aald
"Do n'l II lometlmi a g< l Jolly irkaomi ""
"N..: at all." ahe anawen .1 quli kly,
Mn Gurdon dled it baa been my dutj to look
afti r hlm."
??ifs ;i part I ahouldn't care to ploy. If
my i ,o". i ahould almply go to hlm, and I sb >uld
aay, 'Look here.' I Bhould aay"
"Maater Burlelgh." Bhe aald placlng her hand
llghtly on my ehoulder, "Do you mlnd if I tell
you th it you have mm h to leai n yet?"
- "fm nol ao aurc about that," l aald qulekly
??Ilualdea, I Don't go, Mlaa Gurdon. I like
talklng to y iu."
??I mual .???' to my brothi r."
"Buther your brother!" I thought "Chap'a a
nuiaance."
I wosn't feelingon the best of terma wlth any
i??iv. and i: iherefore rather gratifled me when,
a ,i ,. .,,- iu . lati r, I found out, b) looklng at a
telegram whlch one of tbe men waa taklng to the
loatofflce, that Mr Warde had a deep m heme In
hand, and was arranglng it. a^ he thought, very
cLutlously. i had to thlnk over the matter a
gtod deal before l dcclded what to do; little
Gurdon was rather upael becauae I wouldn'l
pjay crlcket wlth hlm. A man can't tiv. hla
mlnd i" crlcket when its fully occupled elae
where. Altbough l'd a pretty tldy experlence
..f the world. 1 had never had to deal wlth a
caae liko this before. and my Idea, you und. r
Btand, was to work it all out in the moat effect
Ivi way poaalble.
The chance came one evenlng, when we wen
all on the lawn Mr Gurdon h.oi been brought
OUt on his invalid-. hair, little Gurdon was cloee
bealde hlm, and Ourdon'a aunt and vVarde were
near tbe houae bxlklng m an undertone. I had
kepi very qulet for aome tlme, only anaweiing
"Yea" and "No" when I was apoken to. I was
leavlng the followlng day. and what i had t..
aay had to be aald now or nol ut all, 1 ka ked
at Gurdon'a aunt. in ber whlte aerge dreaa, and
i toid myaelf that what i wa.-. aboul t.. do
BORRIBLI PltKiUOAMENT.
OB.NT ? meitifBoma BwaUaa) 'Bl*l 'xuj>! aokttmour trov 'Ull 'VI aoixa TO Jl'tfP ajm l
l AN I ? .1 :,.-.. !..
a
i I f?Jt
'. :l
. ]
I.-t Ul
i ? . ?? ry
?
for lo r good, and , : .
that l maj have bad
"Mr. Gurd n!
??riuii. ighr
"i?o you mln I?do you mlnd " - <;un
doa ai d Mr. Ward i ba i lo aej
you "
"i ?f |BI| 01 ' i'i
?a if .: rtai
"What'a ii .' il .1 . :?
ri'u^...
"Nothtog to d wltl . [ aa -Tiy.
"Get Indo rr. It'a ?
"Bhall I g - In, fath
"May aa *>?? -:i. my b ?? i rr.
"Aad aend y ur aunt and Mr v. u m
turned allghtly on hla chair. Hur?
leigh."
"Wall tlll they i on
"Mj dear," aald Ifi Gurd !?
tempercdly, "tl | ? U
I i m.ii- ? i i..it !??,.. . . ? r
a declaratlon of ? ? ? :
f
Bure wbl ' '
"Mr Gui l :.. ' I . ' i
bea ? i
lighl with th
it 11 :
grippi d th
i . tl ataying here I've d ?
t Mr. i
? m. hl to know."
"Mj d. ar Wai I '
"I have al ? !?
enta w< re capabl l ai
??| am aorry I ' >' Ml*i
Gurdon la a ' ??! ake
t., add thal i be la entin I) bla ia In th
t. r Whati ? i I ha . takeg
aa any cen b< r
"Brotber!1 i I iui rl- dlj ad
?
"Mj d ar," he - i d "I il ?
bear thla young gentl u
!.. Intereatlng."
"lt i.- ? I
> ,i,r h< um to Ing t< ur noti ii rtakaj
thal la going on und. r ? our i k va
. nol have i I ? ? ' 't la
a iui l iii, ai. ul to do, I a ? ing
an honeal ind ? '
"Nev< r mlnd that, mj ; id ?-? I i.'ta."
"The fa ta ? m*A
if the terni i an be | ? h*i
i- ? ? ii,dn Ing II t*
a a ay w ith '
II- r Whltc h.iM.l '? U ! kfl '
preaaed it .. :? ? tlon ttely.
"He ha .1 argumi nl I ?n
r to aa) ind I happei -.haa
ti .. graphi d to Lond ? ?'?'?'
for th< m both to i tnaJ i i BBa
v... k '
"Hoa did j in know that, j - !'rr
brok< ln Warde.
"Allow no to flnlah wltl lloa," I
,. ! "You will havi ? 'k,n*
whi n l havi doni Vuu ? ? '?'
Mr Gurd a?"that a conai v
Ing und. r j -ni ? i ' 5
more lhan a ahad i ? ? "*?
the proaling lion wto- u
? i Bnd > ? ur mi ta| h n '?
Burlelgh," aald Mr -.ar |
"Thi :?? t re, alr," l aald I ;- t0
aaj whetbi r .t la >-r ia aoi haa
t... a conti mplattng tbia, a -!
llkelj to improve Mlaa ? lurd ???? iaa ct
otherw lee, and w hethi r li
"Uurdoa." aald Mi Wardi iti pt 'L
"l mual oxpl.un this."
"I.ct in. .1 . .so," appealcd Mlaa Qurdua "A
fcw worda fr..ui me"
"Now, bow, bow," oaid Mr i'.im! ? ?.?.*? her
whltc hand gently; "bow do > ? ataaf
explanaUon la nei d.-d" a man ?'? "*?
valtd and >.t havi hla Wlta ? I maa
naay not may n..t bave mai :? bj bUm U Hve,
and |. t"
"Dear, dear brotbei'" Bl a" hl?
hand vot > affectlonati Ij
"And yot retaln - ?? ? ?'**
n- .- \s by, l know whal I ?
doee m.t know il. i> *n*
BBBk d .vw. i.. iii tobln I ? ' *
-ist.-r waa quletly n a " '?'
beforc be wenl oul ? lih l ? ?
p. dition. th .! ah ?"??"
i rew me lu hi-r"
??No no deal N'ol
"i .-. ? ? an ?' 't,-J
(bul his v.i i . !*
u p ber mln I to . : tum
untii until tl ^ aad
tln ?obv I r i i ? htM
dear atati r. and I T mm
>
Bhe wai bBBl
ln in^ ?
? v\ ard? J
bual an i '?? ? ?* !"y'
run ll . I ' ' J
ln the ' :
10 m> '. ?
"I bope. all I ? ' '*
will und. mia
und- i^t.u I th ll
"It la ottlj u a ? ? v
aheerfnllj "thal b< '??? ' **
BM GikxI ni, ht Burli gl Aad I
HK WBAK8 4 BBUm
rrom The Lewtol n M- rk
A MfJo woodcl pper wb v wyf
wfth a bage cowbel itt.i ,.^'u
he mcans to Ukc no eh lace* ?? ? ?
me for a dear," aa>a ba.